Alexandra Wingate

Reviews: 78

Tom Allen’s Afternoon Tea

COMEDY

Despite an interestingly intimate conversation about the nature of comedy, it’s a shame that Tom Allen isn’t showing off more of his talents in a dedicated stand-up set.

Bellissima

MUSIC

Complex harmonies and beautiful voices are on show in this year’s installment from the Oxford Belles, but their staging leaves a lot to be desired.

Bette and Joan – The Final Curtain

THEATRE

Inspired by arch rivals of the silver screen Bette Davis and Joan Crawford, this is a must-see for Whatever Happened to Baby Jane? fans.

Puppetry of the Penis: 3D

COMEDY

Amongst the laughs, shocks and shrieks, this is really just a couple of overgrown schoolboys exhibiting themselves.

The Overcoat

POLITICAL THEATRE

Insightful and alarmingly familiar, this is a powerful and highly topical piece of theatre; a must-see in the current political climate.

Tuesday at Tescos

THEATRE

The extraordinary is beside the banal in this insightful and heart-breaking monologue performed by Simon Callow in a production that oozes quality.

David Morgan: Triple Threat

STAND-UP

Amateur Dramatics are the name of the game for David Morgan in his first solo show, but his high energy sometimes feels like being attacked by a Tasmanian Devil in full swing of a tornado.

Guilt & Shame

COMEDY

Self-indulgent and lazily put together, this is a very amateur production that only gets those linked to the show holding their bellies in fits of laughter.

Looser Women

THEATRE

Trying to be the Vagina Monolgues but falling disappointingly short of the mark, there’s little of anything profound to be heard in a production that feels very lazily cobbled together.

Principles and Deceptions

MAGIC

Some genuinely mind-blowing magic doesn’t quite make up for too many mistakes and some glaringly obvious tricks in Ali Cook’s latest show.

Brett Goldstein Grew Up in a Strip Club

COMEDY

Highly engaging and finely crafted storytelling with plenty of laughs along the way as Brett Goldstein recounts the true story of the highs and lows of managing a strip club.

A Leach on Society

STAND-UP

Despite boundless energy and bags of potential, this is an uncomfortably macho experience for anyone – particularly women – who want to avoid being accosted.

Last of the Magic Dragons

COMEDY

Award-winning Piff is a childhood magician for adults; brilliantly blasé, every trick is done with an unfazed grumpiness that’s side-splittingly funny.

The School of Night

THEATRE

Original, ingenious and a hell of a laugh, this is what the Fringe is all about. Lie, cheat and steal for a ticket, because this is the secret gem of the festival.

Jim Smallman: Tattooligan

STAND-UP

An autobiographical story told through an array of weird and wonderful tattoos is full of laugh-out-loud moments, but a bit too much chauvinism.

Crash Course in Depravity

STAND-UP

Depraved is the name of the game in this new show from Andrew Doyle; is Enya a kiddy-fiddler? Is the Queen guilty of bestiality? It’s time to find out…